"I got the first bank of four wired up last night and everything seems to be going great." ...

Plug-in solar has long been popular in Europe, but rising energy costs and a raft of new state laws are boosting its popularity in the U.S.

As electricity prices soar and rooftop solar subsidies vanish, some US renters and homeowners are surreptitiously installing solar panels on balconies and backyards without their utility’s permission.